Our Destination Wedding

February 29, 2016
Tamarindo, Costa Rica

It’s been just over a year since we got married. Man, how times flies! I figured it was about time I shared our day. We got married on leap year in a small surf town in northern Costa Rica at a hotel called Tamarindo Diria. It was everything I could’ve dreamed for! Scroll to the bottom of the post to watch our wedding video!

Joel and I have any amazing group of close friends, and nearly everyone of them came to Costa Rica for our wedding. We opted out of having a traditional wedding party. Instead, Joel spent the afternoon with his buddies getting ready, and I drank champagne and ate delicious tropical fruit with my girlfriends as I did my hair and makeup. One of my favorite parts of the day was showing my girlfriends my dress. I didn’t show anyone, but my mom, sister and grandma before the big day. The look on their faces were priceless and totally worth the wait! There were lots of happy tears too! I loooooved my dress! It’s Wtoo by Watters from a&be bridal shop in Minneapolis.

We did a “first look” and family photos before the ceremony, since our ceremony was just for sunset. That lady in the bikini cracks me up every time I look through these photos. She wasn’t part of our party and makes for a funny “where’s waldo” when we thumb through the photos again with friends.

Joel’s nieces were the most adorable flower girls! After the ceremony we went for a stroll along the beach just Joel and I, and our amazing photographers Bethany and Wes. The best advice I can give a couple for their wedding day is to schedule a bit of time to just hangout the two of you. The day goes by in a flash! I will always cherish this part of our day, because we just got to be ourselves and take excitement of the day in.

Just after the sunset, we headed back to the hotel to celebrate with all our amazing friends and family! There were lots of speeches (Joel’s family LOVES toasts!), gut busting laughs, cocktails and sweaty dancing in the humid Costa Rican heat! The day was perfect, because it was ours.

Our wedding video! I think my favorite part all the dancing at the end…

Photography: Bethany & Wes Schrock | Videography: DIY | Event Planning: Tamarindo Diria‘s wedding coordinator | Floral Design: Tamarindo Diria | Silk Ribbon: Silk & Willow | Dress: Wtoo by Watters | Hair & Makeup: DIY